Fluorescent lighting arrangement



March 15, 1966 c. J. YOUNG FLUORESCENT LIGHTING ARRANGEMENT Filed Feb.24, 1964 INVENTOR.

CORNELIUS J. YOUNG FIG. 3

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,240,928 FLUORESCENT LIGHTING ARRANGEMENTCornelius J. Young, 9 Condit Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ. Filed Feb. 24,1964, Ser. No. 346,667 6 Claims. (Cl. 24051.11)

This invention relates to indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures and moreparticularly to the construction of fluorescent outdoor lightingfixtures of the cantilever suspension type to render them easilymanageable for assembly and quickly accessible for repair.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a cantileverarrangement for fluorescent lighting fixtures in which the greaterportion of the weight of the fixture is concentrated adjacent ordirectly upon a supporting standard.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction for a fluorescent lighting fixture enabling detachment of alamp-reflector housing from a separate ballast chamber withoutnecessitating the removal of the ballast chamber form a supportstructure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a separate chamber forthe lamps and the ballast unit of a fluorescent lighting fixture and toprovide a removable or hinged lid for each chamber to enable ease inservicing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments anddetails of construction being illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lighting fixture andsupport structure illustrating the detachable and accessible nature ofan assembly within the contemplation of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of detachable rectangular lamp and ballasthousings and a support standard for attachment with the lightingfixture; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention illustrationdetachable fan-shaped lamp and ballast housings with a tubular passagein the ballast housing for insertion of a supporting pole.

Referring particularly to the drawings there is shown in FIGURE 1 agenerally rectangular fluorescent lamp housing 10. Housing is providedwith end Walls 11, side walls 12, top wall 13, and a movable,transparent bottom wall 14all components defining -a generally boxshapedenclosure. Housing 10 is also provided with suitable electrical andmechanical connecting members to allow attachment of fluorescent lamps15 within the enclosure. Preferably, bottom wall 14 is rotatablysupported along one of its edges to an adjacent side wall 12 or end wall11 with means provided to form a secured closure with an opposite endwall or side wall. Although, bottom wall 14, as illustrated, isrotatably supported to housing 10 to facilitate access to theilluminating elements, it is recognized that wall 14 may be adapted forcomplete removal from lamp housing 10 or suitable means may be providedto permit sliding relationship between bottom wall 14 and lamp housing10. Preferably, at least one side wall or end wall of lamp housing 10 isprovided with holes 16 to receive connecting means such as bolts (notshown) to enable attachment to a separate ballast housing 17.

Ballast housing 17 is also shown in FIGURE 1 as a generally rectangularunit provided with end walls 18, side walls 19 and 19a, a bottom wall(not shown) and a top wall 20 adapted for pivotal movement about a sidewall or an end wall. The components of ballast housing 17 form agenerally box-shaped enclosure for encasement of electrical transformingmeans 21. At least 3,240,928 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 ice.

one side wall 19 or end wall 18 of ballast housing 17 is provided withholes 22 to receive connecting means such as bolt 48 for securing theballast housing to a terminal connecting member 23 on an angularlydisposed upper portion 24 of a generally vertical supporting standard25. The opposite side wall or end wall of ballast housing 17 is providedwith holes for receiving suitable connecting means to enable easyjunction of lamps housing 10 to ballast housing 17 and apertures throughwhich electrical connections may be passed between the transformingmeans to the connecting members for lamps 15 within the lamp housing 10.

Preferably, top wall 20, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, is hinged to allowrotation about side wall 19a furthest from the terminal connectingmember 23. In the event that servicing of the transforming means isrequired, as a result of this manner of construction a person may easilyattain access to the transforming means by boarding a ladder positionedagainst the supporting member 25. However, top wall 20 may be adaptedfor complete removal from ballast housing 17 or suitable means may beprovided to permit sliding relationship between top wall 20 and housing17.

The fluorescent lamp fixture of this invention, as generally describedabove, provides an improvement over the prior art relating to lampfixtures and particularly the art relating to fixtures of the cantileversuspension variety in that ease in assembly and repair are obtained.Prior art devices of this nature have provided one housing forencasement of both the fluorescent lamps and their associatedtransformers. To meet the electrical requirements necessary to provideproper operation of the fluorescent lamps, the transformers aregenerally bulky and quite heavy. oftentimes, the approximate range inlength of the housing itself may vary anywhere from four feet to sixfeet and, depending on the number of lamps for which the fixture isadapted, the weight of the dual housing may vary from 50 to pounds. Thetransformers, or ballasts to which they are commonly referred in theart, have been positioned at various locations within the dual housing,but at such a position within the housing that an undue moment of forceis created around the supporting end of an upstanding structure.

Consequently, due to the size and great weight of the ballast, thematerial of which the fixture is constructed and the coupling betweenthe fixture and the supporting structure are subjected to unwarrantedstress. In the construction of the fixture, it is necessary to employ aheavy material capable of withstanding the stress. As a consequence, theoverall weight of the unit is increased. The fixture is therefore quiteawkward and difficult to handle, especially when it is to be positionedat an appreciable height above the ground. In the event that the dualunit requires servicing, such as adequately cleaning the inside of thefixture and/or refinishing the inner reflecting sur face, it isnecessary to remove the combination lamp and ballast unit from thestandard. Since the dual unit is quite heavy, in order to hold it duringdetachment from the standard or even to hold it during attachment to thestandard, the services of a boom-truck are often necessary.

It is therefore within the contemplation of this invention to provide anarrangement for a fluorescent lighting fixture in which the ballast ismounted directly adjacent to the supporting-member or around theterminal of the supporting member. Thus, the largest portion of theweight of the fixture is concentrated at or directly upon the end of thesupporting standard. As a result, the torque about the end of thesupporting structure is substantially :reduced and the stress upon thecoupling between the fixture and support-ing structure is minimized.

Furthermore, since the ballast is enclosed within a housing separatefrom a housing in which the fluorescent lamps are enclosed, the stressupon the material of the lamp housing will also be substantiallyreduced. Consequently, the lamp housing may be construced from a verylight, narrow gauge, inexpensive material. By providing a separate,easily detachable, lightweight lamp housing, removing and servicing ofthe lamp portion of the fixture can be readily accomplished withoutremoving the heavy transformer from the standard. Ease in mounting thefixture to the standard will also be attained.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 2 there is shown a specific mannerin which the lighting fixture of this invention may be mounted to asupport member 26. At the terminus of member 26 there is provided aconnecting plate 27 having apertures (not shown) through which. bolts 28may be passed. Ballast housing 29 is shown as rectangular in shape andpositioned such that the central axis of the generally longitudinalballast 30 will be transverse to the central axis of the generallycylindrical support member 26 when the ballast housing is secured to theconnecting plate 27. Apertures within side wall 31 of ballast housing 29are provided to coincide with the apertures in connecting plate 27 ofmember 26. Depending on the thickness and strength of the material withwhich ballast housing 29 is constructed, a reinforcing plate 32 may beprovided to back side wall 31. The reinforcing plate 32 is provided withapertures coincident with the apertures in side wall 31. Bolt members 28and nut members 33 or any other suitable means may be employed to couplethe ballast housing 29 to connecting plate 27. Similar coupling means,such as illustrated, consisting of bolt and nut members 34 andreinforcing plates 35 and 36 or any other suitable coupling means areprovided to secure a generally rectangular lamp housing 37 to ballasthousing 29. Provision of the reinforcing plate 36 is preferable sincethe material with which the lamp housing is constructed is generally ofa lightweight substance and is generally capable of withstanding only arelatively light load.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown another manner of mounting the lightingfixture within the contemplation of this invention. The coupling meansbetween connecting plate 38 and ballast housing 39 and between theballast housing 39 and the lamp housing 49 are illustrated as a nut andbolt combination similar to coupling means illustrated in FIGURE 2.However, FIGURE 3 illustrates a ballast housing provided with a passage41 therethrough and a support member 42 provided with a connecting plate38 disposed inwardly from the terminus 43 of support member 42. Thepassage 41 through ballast housing 39 is of suflicient size to permitinsertion of the end portion 44 of supporting member 42. When theballast housing is mounted on the support member, connecting plate 38preferably abuts side wall 45 of ballast housing 39 to enable theconnecting means to establish a tight relationship between theconnecting plate 38 and the side wall 45 of the ballast housing. Encasedwithin the ballast housing 39 is a pair of transforming units 46. Thecentral axis of transforming units 46 may be angularly disposed, or maybe transverse or parallel to the central axis of tubular passage 41. Anut and bolt combination and a reinforcing plate 47 or any othersuitable coupling means are provided to connect the lamp housing 40 tothe ballast housing 39.

Although the illustrations indicate that the lamp housing may bemechanically coupled to the ballast housing, it is recognized that theballast housing may be provided with a seating arrangement, such as asaddle, so that the ballast housing may sit upon the end portion of thesupporting structure. The supporting structure may then be provided withtwo connecting plates, one similar to plate 38, as illustrated in FIGURE3, and another similar to plate 27, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Theballast housing could then be coupled to plate 38 while the lamp housingis separately coupled to plate 27. Conceivably, the ballast housingcould thus be removed from the supporting structure without removing thelamp housing.

This invention may be embodied in other specific forms Without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a substantially vertical supporting standard having anangularly offset mounting terminus including a coupling plate; aseparate and distinct ballast housing being generally rectangular incross section and having interrelated end, side, top and bottom walls,said end walls being relatively longer than said side walls and said topwall being pivotally mounted to open upwardly for providing accesstherein; first means for fastening said coupling plate to one end wallof said separate and distinct ballast housing; transformer meansselectively positioned and mounted internally of said separate anddistinct ballast housing for providing ballast for fluorescent lighting;a separate and distinct fluorescent lamp housing having interrelatedend, side, top and bottom walls, said bottom wall being transparent andpivotally mounted to open downwardly to provide access therein, saidfluorescent lamp housing additionally being provided with a plurality offluorescent lamps mounted therein; circuit means electrically couplingsaid lamps to said transformer means; and second means for fastening oneend wall of said lamp housing to the other end wall of said ballasthousing.

2. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a supporting standard having an upper mounting terminusincluding a coupling plates; an independent ballast housing havinginterrelated end, side, top and bottom walls, said end walls beingrelatively longer than said side walls and said top wall being pivotallymounted to open upwardly for providing access therein; a plurality ofballast units mounted inside of said ballast housing and positioned withtheir lengthwise dimension angularly disposed with respect to said endand side walls; means for fastening said coupling plate to one end wallof said ballast housing; an independent fluorescent lamp housing havinginterrelated end, side, top and bottom walls, said bottom wall beingpivotally mounted to open downwardy to provide access therein, said lamphousing additionally being provided with fluorescent lamp means mountedtherein; electrical circuit means interconnecting said ballast units tosaid fluorescent lamp means; and second means for fastening one end wallof said lamp housing to the opposite end wall of said ballast housing.

3. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a substantially vertical supporting standard havingmounting terminus including a coupling plate; a separate and distinctballast box having interrelated rectangular end, side, top and bottomwalls, said end walls being relatively longer than said side walls andsaid top wall being pivotally mounted to open upwardly for providingaccess therein; a tubular passage through the width of said ballast boxtransverse to and centrally located with respect to said end wallsallowing said supporting standard to mate therewith; means for fasteningsaid coupling plate to one end wall of said ballast housing; a pair offluorescent ballast units mounted inside of said ballast box and beingselectively disposed with respect to said end and side walls, one oneach side of said tubular passage; a separate and distinct fluorescentlamp housing having interrelated end, side, top and bottom wallsincluding a plurality of fluorescent lamps mounted therein, said bottomwall being generally trans:-

parent and pivotally mounted to open downwardly for providing accessthereto; electrical circuit means connecting said pair of ballast unitsto said plurality of fluorescent lamps; and means for fastening one endwall of said lamp housing to the other end wall of said ballast box.

4. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a substantially vertical supporting standard having anangularly offset mounting terminus including a coupling plate; aseparate and distinct ballast box having interrelated rectangular end,side, top and bottom walls, said end walls being relatively longer thansaid side walls and said top wall being pivotally mounted to openupwardly for providing access therein; a tubular passage through thewidth of said ballast box transverse to and centrally located withrespect to said end walls allowing said supporting standard to entertherein; means for fastening said coupling plate to one end wall of saidballast housing; a pair of fluorescent ballast units mounted internallyof said ballast box such that the central axis of said ballast units isangularly disposed with respect to the central axis of said tubularpassage; a separate and distinct fluorescent lamp housing havinginterrelated end, side, top and bottom walls including a plurality offluorescent lamps mounted therein, said bottom wall being transparentand pivotally mounted to open downwardly for providing access thereto;electrical circuit means connecting said pair of ballast units to saidplurality of fluorescent lamps; and means for fastening one end wall ofsaid lamp housing to the other end wall of said ballast box.

5. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a supporting standard having an upper mounting terminusincluding a coupling plate located a predetermined distance away fromthe end thereof; a separate and distinct ballast housing havinginterrelated end, side, top and bottom walls, said end walls beingrelatively longer than said side walls and one end wall of said endwalls being longer than the other end wall, said top wall beingpivotally mounted to open upwardly for providing access therein; atubular passage through said ballast housing transverse to and centeredwith respect to said end walls for mating with the standard such thatsaid coupling plate abuts said other end wall; means for fastening saidcoupling plate to said other end wall of said ballast housing; aplurality of ballast units mounted internally of said ballast housingand disposed on each side of said tubular passage in a selectedalignment with respect to said end and side walls; an independentfluorescent lamp housing having interrelated end, side, top and bottomwalls, said bottom wall being transparent and pivotally mounted to opendownwardly to provide access therein, said lamp housing being providedwith a plurality of fluorescent lamps mounted therein; electrical meansfor selectively connecting said plurality of ballast units to saidplurality of fluorescent lamps; and second means for fastening one endwall of said lamp housing to the longer end wall of said ballasthousing.

6. A mounting arrangement for fluorescent lighting comprising incombination: a supporting standard having an upper mounting terminusincluding a coupling plate located a predetermined distance away fromthe end thereof; a separate and distinct ballast housing havinginterrelated end, side, top and bottom walls, said end walls beingrelatively longer than said side walls and one end Wall of said endwalls being longer than the other end wall, said top wall beingpivotally mounted to open upwardly for providing access therein; atubular passage through said ballast housing transverse to and centeredWith respect to said end walls for mating with the standard such thatsaid coupling plate abuts said other end Wall; means for fastening saidcoupling plate to said other end wall of said ballast housing; aplurality of ballast units mounted internally of said ballast housingand disposed with their lengthwise dimension angularly disposed withrespect to the central axis of said tubular passage; an independentfluorescent lamp housing having interrelated end, side, top and bottomwalls, said bottom wall being transparent and pivotally mounted to opendownwardly to provide access therein, said lamp housing being providedwith a plurality of fluorescent lamps mounted therein; electrical meansfor selectively connecting said plurality of ballast units to saidplurality of fluorescent lamps; and

second means for fastening one end wall of said lamp housing to thelonger end Wall of said ballast housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,183,346 5/1965Spaulding et al. 240--51.l1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,344,814 10/1963 France.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

C. R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTING COMPRISING INCOMBINATION: A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SUPPORTING STANDARD HAVING ANANGULARLY OFFSET MOUNTING TERMINUS INCLUDING A COUPLING PLATE; ASEPARATE AND DISTINCT BALLAST HOUSING BEING GENEREALLY RECTANGULAR INCROSS SECTION AND HAVING INTERRELATED END, SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS,SAID END WALLS BEING RELATIVELY LONGER THAN SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID TOPWALL BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO OPEN UPWARDLY FOR PROVIDING ACCESSTHEREIN; FIRST MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID COUPLING PLATE TO ONE END WALLOF SAID SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BALLAST HOUSING; TRANSFORMER MEANSSELECTIVELY POSITIONED AND MOUNTED INTERNALLY OF SAID SEPARATE ANDDISTINCT BALLAST HOUSING FOR PROVIDING BALLAST FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTING;A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FLUORESCENT LAMP HOUSING HAVING INTERRELATEDEND, SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS, SAID BOTTOM WALL BEING TRANSPARENT ANDPIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO OPEN DOWNWARDLY TO PROVIDE ACCESS THEREIN, SAIDFLUORESCENT LAMP HOUSING ADDITIONALLY BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OFFLUORESCENT LAMPS MOUNTED THEREIN; CIRCUIT MEANS ELECTRICALLY COUPLINGSAID LAMPS TO SAID TRANSFORMER MEANS; AND SECOND MEANS FOR FASTENING ONEEND WALL OF SAID LAMP HOUSING TO THE OTHER END WALL OF SAID BALLASTHOUSING.